What the Hell is the point of that bit at the end of a ruler?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:37 pm

"I, Henry J. Ruler, have invented a special bit of wood or steel or plastic with measurements marked on the side in order to measure things. What'll help is whacking an unmarked bit on the bottom, thus making it totally useless for measuring the height of toys."

Dickhead. Hopefully he died of something ironic, like having his head torn open at the ear by a pair of dividers.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:21 pm

Best guess, because the edges tend to get worn away and the corners making them not flat enough for perfect straight line measuring?

Rack 'n Ruin · Post by **Rack 'n Ruin** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:29 pm

If you're that fussed you can just buy a steel rule. They tend to have the measurements running right up to the end.

I'm with Dalek as to the theory. Just a guess though.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:33 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:Best guess, because the edges tend to get worn away and the corners making them not flat enough for perfect straight line measuring?

Shut up. that's not the point and you know it.

Rack 'n Ruin wrote:If you're that fussed you can just buy a steel rule. They tend to have the measurements running right up to the end.

The steel one went rusty in the shower.

Rack 'n Ruin · Post by **Rack 'n Ruin** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:47 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:Shut up. that's not the point and you know it.

The steel one went rusty in the shower.

Just a thought, but can you buy waterproofed electron microscopes?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:50 pm

How would that help me unclog the plug hole?

Rack 'n Ruin · Post by **Rack 'n Ruin** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:53 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:How would that help me unclog the plug hole?

I do hope that isn't a euphemism.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:01 pm

Rack 'n Ruin wrote:I do hope that isn't a euphemism.

It's got to be. Can you imagine cliffy doing housework whilst he has a girlfriend?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:24 pm

No, have to unclog the plughole when I'm in the shower, otherwise it floods and soaks the comics I keep by the toilet. I did try waking her at 4:45am to sort it out once, but I'll be honest, her performance was disappointing and she went on about it all day like it was somehow my fault.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:41 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:No, have to unclog the plughole when I'm in the shower

And you need a rule for this... why?

Ever tried not having girl's hair? That'd cut down on the need to unclog it.

Rurudyne · Post by **Rurudyne** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:57 am

Cliffy, buy your instruments at a drafting supply company and you may have options to avoid the issue.

Also, some drafting rulers (usually those with three blades, and no, I'm not kidding) have scale rulings too (for example, a 3-blade ruler would have life size plus 5 different scales).

Unfortunately those are seldom ruled to the very edge though I have seen them made that way from time to time.

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:27 pm

Steel rules are best (and I did not mistakenly miss out a 'r' there).

They are used by engineers and chippies to get exact measurements without the spare bit at the end getting in the way.

Um, so you keep comics by the loo? Most people just keep newspaper. And, having unblocked the plughole with a ruler, you then measure toys while showering?

CounterPunch · Post by **CounterPunch** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:55 pm

Clogs wrote:Steel rules are best (and I did not mistakenly miss out a 'r' there).

One of my teachers at school used to get realy arsey about that, every time someone said ruler he would say "Ruler is someone that sits on a throne, it is called a rule"

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:00 pm

Halfshell wrote:And you need a rule for this... why?

What else would I use?

Ever tried not having girl's hair? That'd cut down on the need to unclog it.

It's her hair that clogs it. My hair's lovely and doesn't fall out.

CounterPunch wrote:One of my teachers at school used to get realy arsey about that, every time someone said ruler he would say "Ruler is someone that sits on a throne, it is called a rule"

Mine actually says "Ruler" on it, which kinda clinches it for me.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:36 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:What else would I use?

Tweasers? A pencil? Fingers? My old flat mate left a hairclip in the bathroom that I appropriated for the task. A ruler seems a bit unsuited to the task...

It's her hair that clogs it. My hair's lovely and doesn't fall out.

Make her ****ing do it then.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:03 pm

I do, but she's a girl and thus rubbish.

The thing's got slats in the hole, rather than being a normal, not-weird plughole.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:07 pm

Can't you get one of those little cover things that sits in the plug hole, lets the water through but collects all the hairs and stuff? That just lifts out and can be shaken clean over a bin?

There's probably a really simple straightforward word for what the things are called that I've just got a mental block over.

Make her wash in the garden if she can't handle routine maintenance of the facilities.

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:53 pm

Clogs wrote: They are used by engineers and chippies to get exact measurements without the spare bit at the end getting in the way.

Why would a chippy need a ruler?

"I'd like a portion of chips and a fish that's EXACTLY 6 inches long please."

-Ss

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:01 pm

Regional slang for carpenter.

Sixswitch · Post by **Sixswitch** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:32 pm

Denyer wrote:Regional slang for carpenter.

Aye. The post was a joke - but I actually didn't know that, until I googled it. Bet you did too!

-Ss